Merry Christmas!

We are sending our greetings from Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico. It was a dramatical year in many ways as we changed our living base from Japan to Mexico, having determined to take care of Hideyuki's mother who has a mental disease. It is very difficult to live in such a challenging environment, but anything can be possible with faith and righteous desire in our life. The following are some of our events of 2007;

• January to March - Hideyuki started working on geneaology that his father hadn't finished over thirty years ago, and finished as much as possible.




• March - We made our trip to Tokyo, visiting friends and temple.




• April - We made our trip to Kyushu island (Oita, Kumamoto, and Nagasaki).




• April - We left Japan for Mexico with my mother via Vancouver and Toronto, Canada.




• May - We left Mexico City for Tuxtla Gutierrez via Oaxaca.




• June - We moved into our new rented house.




• August - Hideyuki obtained a working visa after challenges, started working. Lidia started going to university. Joiro started going to kindergarten and started learning violin.




• September - Lidia disconued going to university due to a problem on her high school certificate.




• October - I traveled to Guatemalan border with my mother to renew her tourist card, and we had a bad experience.




• November- Lidia started her remaining high school education again due to a problem on her paper work.

Joiro turned four and Maaya two this year. They are quickly adapting in their living enviornment, speaking dominantly Spanish to each other and to all the people. We will continue to strive to live securely despite our challenges, and hope to be successful in the year of 2008.

We wish you all have Merry Christmas.

Hideyuki, Lidia, Joiro, Maaya Hamada

Renewing Mother's tourist card

I was able to somehow renew my mother's visa for another 6 months at the border yesterday, however, I had a really bad expereince.

After work yesterday, I invited her to go out to buy something. She once refused but she decided to come along with me. At around 2:30 pm, we took a bus, but it was kind of slow. It took about an hour more to get to the border than I calculated. By the time we got there at around 7:30 pm, it was already dark. At the border, I reazlised to return to Ciudad Cuahutemoc, which is 4 km away, so we traveled back, there I talked to the immigration officer. He told me that one usually cannot return the tourist card and receive a new one within 72 hours, but he told me to see if he could help me. He told me to go to Guatemala side to have a stamp of a departure and entry stamp. We traveled back to Guatemala, but one of the officers invited me in to another room, and told me that I had to offer them money to do the special one day processing. She asked me how much I could offer, and my reply was 100 pesos. She told me I have to offer 600 pesos each person. In fact, all I had at the time was 575 pesos, so all I could offer was really 200 pesos maximum. Having been desperate, I left there, looking for ATM to take out money. I tried all three ATM in the town, but none of them allowed me to take out money. I went to hotels that might allow to withdraw money, but no hotels couldn't help me. As someone suggested me, I returned to negotiate. She lowered the price down to 200 pesos per person, but still I couldn't pay. They told me to return next morning, so I left there. I was going to call Lidia to bring money. As I was talking to taxi drivers, an impression came to me that I only needed to have stamps for Mother. Quickly I ran back to the immigration before it closes to pay 200 pesos only for Mother. They accepted it finally. We returned to Cuidad Cuahutemoc and the Mexican immigration officer was so kind to me. I happened to ask him how is the life in such a remote place, and the reply was it's like heaven there. It sounded as if he is from heaven, so I quickly thanked him and headed to the bus terminal that was in the front to catch the 10 o'clock bus. It happened that the bus would delay and I luckily had some time to wait. The fare to travel to Tuxtla was 296 pesos. All I had at that time was about 340 pesos. Shortly later, We were able to catch the bus and safely returned back to Tuxtla, arriving at 2:30 am.

I thought about this experience, and it is very unfortunate to come across who abuse their authority for money, but at the same time I thought that God has been watching over us for having lived sincerely as we are taught (after the General Conference, we started having a family prayer and study the scripture every morning and night, family home evening every week. I usually go to temple a few times a month.) We would have left alone at the border where it's very dirty and looks scarery - looks 10 times worse than Nishinari - Kamagaya area. I also decided to forgive those people who dispitefully used me, instead I prayed for them at night. I thought the best way to be protected from Saten's influence is to live according to the gospel teaching as much as possible.

Now I have to think about the next time as to how to handle the situation. There are three options; 1) travel to the border like yesterday and pay extra money to have the same day process, 2) travel Guatemala for a few days and return, or 3) convince Mother to have her FM3 visa with her signature and fingerprint. The best option would be 3) and it's the least hassle. I will see what I can do.